This thread started in 2003; that was utopia compared to what we have now.
The headline in this article highlights the 'filter bubble' problem that artificially limits our horizons and serves up different realities to each of us, but (at this stage) the tracking methods--those that effectively 'fingerprint' your device/IP combination using everything from fonts and window size to languages and time-zones--are more of a concern to me (see second article).
It seems that even when you take steps to leave the bubble, you are still inside a second invisible bubble.
Measuring the "Filter Bubble": How Google is influencing what you click
Over the years, there has been
considerable discussion of Google's "filter bubble" problem. Put simply, it's the manipulation of your search results based on your personal data. In practice this means links are moved up or down or added to your Google search results, necessitating the
filtering of other search results altogether. These editorialized results are informed by
the personal information Google has on you (like your search, browsing, and purchase history), and puts you in a
bubble based on what Google's algorithms think you're most likely to click on.
The filter bubble is particularly pernicious when searching for political topics. That's because undecided and inquisitive voters turn to search engines to conduct basic research on candidates and issues in the critical time when they are forming their opinions on them. If they’re getting information that is swayed to one side because of their personal filter bubbles, then this
can have a significant effect on political outcomes in aggregate.
Continued at length with experiments and methodical explanations:
And here's why you can't step outside:
Privacy Mythbusting #4: I can’t be identified just by browsing a website. (If only!)
When we first released
our study on private browsing modes, a lot of people were shocked to see that websites could
still track them even when they blocked cookies and used private browsing (aka “incognito mode”).
To see for yourself, check out
Nothing Private, an example site that showcases private browsing tracking in the real world.
The main method used to uniquely identify and track people while using private browsing is called “browser fingerprinting.” Just as each person has a unique fingerprint, so does every browser. Websites can look at version numbers of your browser, the plugins it uses, and dozens of other points of browser information to create a unique ID, a browser fingerprint, that can then be used to track you.
Continued with diagnostic tests you can run to verify that you yourself are a victim: